THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Tilford collects another crown at masters MTB world's
Steve Tilford (Shimano-Moots) was among four Americans to claim world titles on Saturday during the first day of the Masters Mountain Bike World Championships in Bromont, Québec.
Tilford took his fifth masters world’s title in the men's 40-44 age group, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of Thierry Salomon of Switzerland, with Patrick Meersschaert (Belgium) third. Other U.S. titlists were 70-year-old Frederic Schmidt (Waco Bicycle Club) in the 65-plus category, Seattle's James Wagner (Ti Cycles) in the 60-64 category and Lydia Barter (Team Bicycle Alley) in the women's 50+ age group.
Bromont is no stranger to elite events, having hosted the world championships back in 1992, and Tilford described this year’s newly designed course as "hard, not a flat place anywhere - it was either straight up or straight down. This is almost a World Cup course."
The American was coming off a long layoff, and hadn't raced off-road since the Sea Otter Classic in April. He was worried about the climbs, but knew he could make time on the descents.
"The Swiss guy (Salomon) was pretty quick - he passed me on the steep climb,” Tilford said. “I let him lead into the first descent and realized that he wasn't as good there, so I got in front on the next downhill and took 20 seconds.
“I was getting quicker as the race went on, but I was worried until the last lap when I had two minutes, which gave me enough gap to change a flat if I had to."
As for Salomon, he commented: "That Tilford, he is crazy on the downhills!"
Meersschaert knew all about flats on the rocky course, suffering two and losing the silver. The Belgian champion had caught and passed Salomon after suffering his first flat, then was chasing back when he had a second flat.
After the first day of racing, U.S. riders led the standings with a total of 15 medals in the cross-country races – four gold, five silver and six bronze. France followed the USA with three titles, Canada and Italy with two, and Sweden and Norway one each.
The championships conclude today with the downhill events.
